The Lord says,“ People of Benjamin, run for safety! Run away from Jerusalem! Blow trumpets in the city of Tekoa! Warn everyone in Beth Hakkerem! Horrible trouble is coming from the north. The Babylonians will destroy everything with awful power.

便雅悯人哪，你们要逃出耶路撒冷，在提哥亚吹角，在伯哈基琳立号旗；因为有灾祸与大毁灭从北方张望。

便雅悯人哪，当逃离耶路撒冷，在提哥亚吹号角，在伯‧哈基琳升信号，因为有灾祸与大毁灭从北方逼近。

便雅悯人哪，当逃离耶路撒冷，在提哥亚吹号角，在伯‧哈基琳升信号，因为有灾祸与大毁灭从北方逼近。

“便雅悯人啊，你们要逃离耶路撒冷！你们要在提哥亚吹响号角，在伯·哈基琳发出警报，因为有大灾难从北方逼近。

“便雅悯人哪！赶快逃命，离开耶路撒冷。你们要在提哥亚吹角，在伯．哈基琳升烽火；因为灾祸和严重的毁灭，已从北方迫近。

便雅憫人哪，你們要逃出耶路撒冷，在提哥亞吹角，在伯‧哈基琳立號旗；因為有災禍與大毀滅從北方張望。

便雅憫人哪，當逃離耶路撒冷，在提哥亞吹號角，在伯‧哈基琳升信號，因為有災禍與大毀滅從北方逼近。

便雅憫人哪，當逃離耶路撒冷，在提哥亞吹號角，在伯‧哈基琳升信號，因為有災禍與大毀滅從北方逼近。

「便雅憫人啊，你們要逃離耶路撒冷！你們要在提哥亞吹響號角，在伯·哈基琳發出警報，因為有大災難從北方逼近。

“便雅憫人哪！趕快逃命，離開耶路撒冷。你們要在提哥亞吹角，在伯．哈基琳升烽火；因為災禍和嚴重的毀滅，已從北方迫近。

便雅憫人哪，從耶路撒冷城中逃出來避難哦！要在提哥亞吹號角，在伯哈基琳豎立警報；因為有災禍與大破毁從北方張望下來。

便雅憫人歟、逃出耶路撒冷以求安、吹角於提哥亞、立斾於伯哈基琳、蓋禍自北而著、毀滅甚巨、

禍自北至、毀傷特甚、爾便雅憫子孫、宜和集、出耶路撒冷、在提哥亞吹角、在伯哈西林舉烽火、

便雅憫人乎、當出耶路撒冷逃避、在提哥亞吹角、在伯哈基琳樹立旗號、因大災大禍自北方而至、

“ Flee for safety, people of Benjamin! Flee from Jerusalem! Sound the trumpet in Tekoa! Raise the signal over Beth Hakkerem! For disaster looms out of the north, even terrible destruction.

Flee for safety, O people of Benjamin, from the midst of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise a signal on Beth-haccherem, for disaster looms out of the north, and great destruction.

“ Run for your lives, you people of Benjamin! Get out of Jerusalem! Sound the alarm in Tekoa! Send up a signal at Beth hakkerem! A powerful army is coming from the north, coming with disaster and destruction.

“ Run for cover out of Jerusalem, Benjaminites. Sound the ram’s horn in Tekoa; raise a smoke signal over Beth-haccherem, for disaster threatens from the north, even a crushing blow.

“ Flee to safety, you sons of Benjamin, From the midst of Jerusalem! Blow a trumpet in Tekoa And raise a warning signal over Beth haccerem; For evil looks down from the north, Along with a great destruction.

“ O you children of Benjamin, Gather yourselves to flee from the midst of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, And set up a signal-fire in Beth Haccerem; For disaster appears out of the north, And great destruction.

Flee for safety, ye children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth- haccherem; for evil looketh forth from the north, and a great destruction.

“ Run for cover, Benjaminites, out of Jerusalem! Sound the ram’s horn in Tekoa; raise a smoke signal over Beth-haccherem, for disaster threatens from the north, even great destruction.

O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.

“ Run for safety, people of Benjamin! Get out of Jerusalem! Sound the trumpet in Tekoa! Light the signal fires at Beth Hakkerem! For disaster lurks out of the north; it will bring great destruction.

“ Flee for safety, you children of Benjamin, out of the middle of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa and raise up a signal on Beth Haccherem, for evil looks out from the north with a great destruction.

Malkijah repaired the Dung Gate. He was the son of Rekab. Malkijah ruled over the territory where Beth Hakkerem was located. He rebuilt the gate. He put in place its doors with their metal bolts and bars.

He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. So to this day they live there with the people of Benjamin.

So Joab sent someone to Tekoa to have a wise woman brought back from there. Joab said to her,“ Pretend you are filled with sadness. Put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. Don’t use any makeup. Act like a woman who has spent many days mourning for someone who has died.

The Lord says to Jerusalem,“ Look! An army is coming from the land of the north. I am stirring up a great nation. Its army is coming from a land that is very far away.

People of Jerusalem, your enemies have surrounded you. They are attacking you. So gather up what belongs to you. Then leave the land.The Lord says,“ I am about to throw out of this land everyone who lives in it. I will bring trouble on them. They will be captured.”

The Lord and King says,“ From the north I am going to bring Nebuchadnezzar against Tyre. He is the king of Babylon. He is the greatest king of all. He will come with horses and chariots. Horsemen and a great army will be brought along with him.He will go to war against you. He will destroy your settlements on the coast. He will bring in war machines to attack you. A ramp will be built up to your walls. He will raise his shields against you.He will use huge logs to knock down your walls. He will destroy your towers with his weapons.He will have so many horses that they will cover you with dust. Your walls will shake because of the noise of his war horses, wagons and chariots. He will enter your gates, just as men enter a city whose walls have been broken through.The hooves of his horses will pound in your streets. His swords will kill your people. Your strong pillars will fall to the ground.His men will take away from you your wealth and anything else you have. They will pull down your walls. They will completely destroy your fine houses. They will throw the stones and lumber of your broken- down buildings into the sea.I will put an end to your noisy songs. No one will hear the music of your harps anymore.I will turn you into nothing but a bare rock. You will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt. I have spoken. I am the Lord,” announces the Lord and King.The Lord and King speaks to Tyre. He says,“ The lands along the coast will shake because of the sound of your fall. Wounded people will groan because so many are dying there.Then all the princes along the coast will step down from their thrones. They will put their robes away. They will take off their beautiful clothes. They will sit on the ground. They will put on terror as if it were their clothes. They will tremble with fear all the time. They will be shocked because of what has happened to you.Then they will sing a song of sadness about you. They will say to you,“‘ Famous city, you have been completely destroyed! You were filled with sea traders. You and your citizens were a mighty power on the seas. You terrified everyone who lived in you.The lands along the coast trembled with fear when you fell. The islands in the sea were terrified when you were destroyed.’ ”The Lord and King says to Tyre,“ I will turn you into an empty city. You will be like cities where no one lives anymore. I will cause the ocean to sweep over you. Its mighty waters will cover you.So I will bring you down together with those who go down into the grave. The people there lived long ago. You will have to live in the earth below. It will be like living in buildings that were destroyed many years ago. You will go down into the grave along with others. And you will never come back. You will not take your place in this world again.I will bring you to a horrible end. You will be gone forever. People will look for you. But they will never find you,” announces the Lord and King.

So I will send for all the nations in the north. And I will send for my servant Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon,’ announces the Lord.‘ I will bring all of them against this land and against you who live here. They will march out against all the nations that are around this land. I will set apart Judah and the nations around it in a special way to be destroyed. People will be shocked because of them. And they will make fun of them. Those nations will be destroyed forever.

“ Announce my message in Judah. Tell it in Jerusalem. Say,‘ Blow trumpets all through the land!’ Give a loud shout and say,‘ Gather together! Let’s run to cities that have high walls around them!’Warn everyone to go to Zion! Run for safety! Do not wait! I am bringing trouble from the north. Everything will be totally destroyed.”

The Lord said to me,“ Something very bad will be poured out on everyone who lives in this land. It will come from the north.I am about to send for all the armies in the northern kingdoms,” announces the Lord.“ Their kings will come to Jerusalem. They will set up their thrones at the very gates of the city. They will attack all the walls that surround the city. They will go to war against all the towns of Judah.

These are the words of Amos. He was a shepherd from the town of Tekoa. Here is the vision he saw concerning Israel. It came to him two years before the earthquake. At that time Uzziah was king of Judah. Jeroboam, the son of Jehoash, was king of Israel. Here are the words of Amos.

Here is a list of towns given to the tribe of Benjamin, according to its family groups. Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,Kephar Ammoni, Ophni and Geba. The total number of towns and their villages was 12.Here is another list of towns given to Benjamin. Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah,Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,Zelah, Haeleph, Jerusalem, Gibeah and Kiriath. The total number of towns and their villages was 14. That was the share of land the family groups of Benjamin received.

Listen! A message is coming! I hear the sound of a great army marching down from the north! It will turn Judah’s towns into a desert. They will become a home for wild dogs.

People can hear the sound of horsemen. Men armed with bows are coming. The people in every town run away. Some of them go into the bushes. Others climb up among the rocks. All the towns are deserted. No one is living in them.

I’m suffering! I’m really suffering! I’m hurting badly. My heart is suffering so much! It’s pounding inside me. I can’t keep silent. I’ve heard the sound of trumpets. I’ve heard the battle cry.One trouble follows another. The whole land is destroyed. In an instant my tents are gone. My home disappears in a moment.

Judah couldn’t drive out the Jebusites who were living in Jerusalem. So they live there with the people of Judah to this day.